Work Programme

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 23 October 2012, Official Report, column 839W, on social security benefit, of those whose benefit will be reduced through application of the benefit cap in 2013, which benefit recipients who might be capped will be offered early access to the Work Programme.

Mark Hoban: Claimants who are in receipt of employment and support allowance, incapacity benefit, income support and jobseeker's allowance (JSA) are able to gain early access to the Work Programme.
	JSA claimants in the 18 to 24 and 25+ groups would normally access the Work Programme at none or 12 months. However, since June 2012 the Department has made early access to the Work Programme available to those JSA claimants likely to be affected by the benefit cap. They are able to volunteer for early access to the Work Programme after three months of pre-Work Programme support from Jobcentre Plus.